Sales and Events Executive

University of Stirling; Stirling; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Stirling is seeking a Sales and Event Executive to maximise revenue from conferences, events and accommodation within the Stirling Venues team. You will interact with customers to secure repeat and expanded business and ensure a first-class customer experience.

Responsibilities include researching new business, coordinating show rounds, negotiating terms and ensuring accurate bookings and payments, while helping develop sales and marketing strategies for the commercial portfolio.

Qualifications

• Experience in hospitality sales or events is desirable.
• Strong interpersonal and negotiation skills.
• Ability to build and maintain client relationships.

Responsibilities

• Research and target new business prospects for onsite hotel and campus groups, conferences and events.
• Prepare and plan for sales appointments, including required research.
• Coordinate show rounds and familiarisation visits to secure business.
• Negotiate prices and service delivery to achieve best outcomes for client and university.
• Process bookings via the reservation system and generate quotes and contracts.
• Maintain customer relationships and ensure high standards of service and delivery.

Job description

The Post

Based within the Stirling Venues team, you will maximise revenue opportunities from a range of commercial activities including conference, events and accommodation. You will frequently interact with a range of customers and guests to earn repeat and expanded business through support in the delivery of a first class customer experience.

Description of Duties

As Sales and Event Executive you will perform the following tasks to the highest standards:

• Responsibility for proactively researching and targeting new business prospects from a range of sectors, generating sales enquiries, arranging meetings and securing sales, for onsite hotel and main campus groups, conference and events
• Prepare and plan in advance for all sales appointments including research where required
• Co-ordinate and lead customer showrounds/familiarisation visits with the aim of achieving confirmed business
• Negotiation with customers to ensure our business aims are met and customer objectives are delivered
• Ensure that sales targets are achieved by reacting to all enquiries using a professional, timely and efficient approach to maximise the conversion of enquiries to confirmed bookings
• Develop and maintain customer relationships via the maximisation of customer liaison/contact to ensure customer objectives and service needs are met and delivered to the highest standard
• Ensure event proposals are prepared and presented to a high standard in a timely and accurate manner
• Negotiate on price, costs and service delivery to ensure best possible results for both customer and organisation
• Efficient and accurate processing of bookings via reservation system
• Generation of accurate, detailed and timely information, documentation, quotes and contracts
• Liaise between service providers, other departments and the customers to provide the service most suitable to the customer needs, budget and time restraints
• Co-ordination of events from initial enquiry through to post event after sales call
• Be responsible for administration procedures in relation to sales and in particular strict control of payment procedures and records in respect of all financial transactions (including invoices) in relation to each event
• Ensure compliance with standard operating procedures in respect of all administration and delivery of events
• Attend team meetings on a regular basis ensuring an active contribution to best practice in respect of commercial activity
• On occasions attend exhibitions and promotional events in respect of securing new and future business
• Prepare management information as directed by senior management within the Directorate
• Assist in the preparation of sales and marketing and business development strategies
• Maintain in-depth knowledge of products, facilities and services available to prospective customers
• Maintain good and accurate knowledge of the University’s Commercial portfolio
• Carry out any other reasonable request by senior management